PROBLEMS WITH NAMES OF ENTITIES & PERSONS / CLEANING OF NAMES

1. In many cases, the regulatory order/press release indicts a particular entity and then also indicts all its directors without giving the names of the directors. In such cases, we used secondary sources like offer documents to identify the names of the directors, wherever we had the secondary source.
2. A very grave problem exists with reference to the spellings of names of entities/persons. As it is important for a database to have consistency in names because all search results are driven by names, a major system was developed and put in place.

Names of Entities
In the case of several entities, especially the listed companies, it is possible to verify and correct the names using several secondary sources. However, for a large number of entities, since there is no secondary source available, we have no option but to use the name as given by the source organization. Given our experience with the listed company names where we located a large number of errors, we know that for the other entities, we are carrying the spelling errors on our website. This may therefore throw up inaccurate search results. If any user points out any of such errors, along with documentary evidence, we would be pleased to incorporate such changes. 

In terms of names of entities, there is a huge amount of inconsistency within a source and across sources. The sources have different spellings for the same entity as also abbreviated names in various forms.

• There are problems with reference to proper nouns. For example, the name SUNSTAR SOFTWARE & SYSTEMS LTD. has appeared as following in the same source and across several sources:
  • SUN STAR SOFTWARE & SYSTEMS LTD. 
  • SUNSTR SOFTWARE & SYSTEMS LTD. 
  • SUNSTAR SOFTWARE AND SYSTEMS LTD.
  • SUNSTAR SOFTWARE & SYSTEMS LIMITED 
  • SUNSTAR SOFTWARE & SYSTEMS LTD. 
  • SUNSTAR SOFTW. & SYSTEMS LTD. 
  • SUNTAR SOFTWARE & SYSTEMS LTD.
     
• In addition, some general words are used in a very loose format:
  • COMPANY also spelt as COMP/COMP./CO/CO.
  • CONSULTANTS also spelt as CONS/CONS.
  • CORPORATION also spelt as CORPN/CORPN./CORP/CORP.
  • DEVELOPMENT also spelt as DEV/DEV./DEVL/DEVL./ DEVLP/DEVLP.
  • FINANCE also spelt as FIN/FIN.
  • GENERAL also spelt as GEN/GEN.
  • HIRE also spelt as HIR/HIR.
  • HOUSING also spelt as HOUSING/HSG./HSG/HSNG/HSNG.
  • INVESTMENTS also spelt as INV/INV.
  • LEASING also spelt as LSG/LSG./LSNG/LSNG.
  • LIMITED also spelt as LTD/LTD.
  • PORTFOLIO also spelt as PORT/PORT.
  • PRIVATE also spelt as PVT/PVT./P/P.
  • PROPERTIES also spelt as PROP/PROP.
  • PURCHASE also spelt as PUR./PUR/PURC/PURC.
  • SECURITIES also spelt as SEC./SEC
  • SERVICES also spelt as SER/SER./SERV/SERV.
     
• Many entries have extra spaces or missing spaces between words
• Many entries have . missing in the abbreviations
• Many companies have “M/S” before the name, thereby hurting the alphabetical order.
• Many companies have the word “THE” before the name, thereby hurting the alphabetical order (we put it as “,THE” at the end)
• In names where brackets are appearing –for example (India), the spaces before or after the brackets are inconsistent
• Many companies have a, at the end of the name

In terms of general words, we clean the names, through an elaborate software. All records after cleaning are then matched with the existing records in the database or with records available with us in the secondary sources.

Names of Persons
In the case of several persons, especially of the listed companies, it is possible to verify and correct the names using several secondary sources. However, for a large number of persons, since there is no secondary source available, we have no option but to use the name as given by the source organization. Given our experience with the listed company names where we located a large number of errors, we know that for the other persons, we are carrying the spelling errors on our website. This may therefore throw up inaccurate search results. If any user points out any of such errors, along with documentary evidence, we would be pleased to incorporate such changes. 

In terms of names of persons, there is a huge amount of inconsistency within a source and across sources. The sources have different spellings for the same person as also abbreviated names in various forms.

• There are problems with reference to proper nouns. For example, the name of one Mr. KUMAR B. Parekh has appeared as following in the same source and across several sources:
  • KUMAR V. PAREKH
  • KUMAR VITHALDAS PAREKH
  • K.V.PARIKH
  • KUMAR PARIKH
  • KUMAR PAREKH
  • K.PAREKH
  • K.VITHALDAS PAREKH
     
• Many entries have extra spaces or missing spaces between words
• Many entries have . missing in the abbreviations
• Many companies have “MR. Or MRS. Or DR. etc. before the name, thereby hurting the alphabetical order.

In terms of general words, we clean the names, through an elaborate software. All records after cleaning are then matched with the existing records in the database or with records available with us in the secondary sources.

Linking
Wherever an associated linking can be established by us, we have standardized the name of the person and treated him as one person. Wherever a link can not be established, the names continue to appear as separate individuals. For example, if we are able to verify that K.V.PAREKH and KUMAR V. PAREKH as the same person, we standardize the name as KUMAR V. PAREKH. In the remaining cases, however, we have no means of believing that he is the same person and therefore has been treated as different individuals. In future, if we are able to identify the link, we shall standardize the name.

Old Names/New Names
To bring uniformity and better search results, this website also shows the current names (wherever available) of such entities who have changed names since the passing of the order by a competent authority.